Reactors, such as those used in the field of surface catalytic reactions and heat exchange, can fit within a reactor tube, which can transfer heat from the reactor tube to the interior of the tube or the reactor unit contained therein, or from the interior of the tube or reactor unit to the reactor tube. One example of a reactor unit is a stackable structural reactor, or SSR. One type of SSR is described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2008/0145284. Other examples of reactor units include the disclosures in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2007/0025893, 2006/0263278, 2006/0245982, 2006/0245981, 2006/0230613, 2006/0228598, 2006/0019827 and 2006/0008414 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,150,099 and 6,920,920.
The reactor installation tools described herein can be used with any style of reactor, such as a cylindrical-shaped tube reactor as shown in the above-cited applications and patents. The reactors shown in the above-cited applications and patents, and others reactors of the prior art, can occupy substantially all of the space within a reactor tube and/or press firmly against the interior wall of the reactor tube. Installation of reactors can cause damage, such as denting portions of the reactors, for example, the fins of a reactor. Other damage can be caused, for example, scratching or bending the reactors, which can negatively affect performance, such as the heat transfer or reaction rate. Thus, there is a need to install a reactor or reactor unit in a reactor tube without damaging the reactor. The present inventors have found that the use of the reactor tools described herein can avoid damage to a reactor.